The New Year kicks off again in 2018 with a smattering of art fairs, and L.A. closes the month with the ninth annual Art Los Angeles Contemporary, showing work from galleries around the globe. Expect a strong emphasis on local L.A. talent and representation of the city’s diverse cultural communities—from low-brow to high-brow—through performances, talks, and outreach activities. Case in point: the skate ramp installed at the front entrance to the fair where professional skaters will perform. On Saturday, Mexico City native Carmina Escobar will lead the audience through an experimental performative experience, while Sunday focuses on involving youth in creative pursuits, with workshops in music, dance, cooking, and visual arts lead by some of L.A.’s top artists.

When: Through Sun. 1/28

Where: The Barker Hangar, 2525 Michigan Ave., Santa Monica

Gallery Shows

Make your way over to Malibu Village for Depart Foundation’s unveiling of two new shows. “Right at the Equator” features emerging artists from Africa, with work challenging reality and appearances. The key to these works lies in attempting to understand the sociocultural context in which these artists live and work in order to truly grasp the intent and possibilities of the work itself. In contrast, the project room by self-taught L.A. artist Riley O’Neill titled “Relax Shadeans” creates an interplay of objects through a compilation of found objects, mementos, and mixed media that bring notions of colonization, masculinity, and attachment into question.

When: 6 - 9 p.m., Sat. 1/27

Where: Depart Foundation, 9105 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles

Art Auction

As part of its centennial year celebrations, the Laguna Art Museum is hosting the 36th edition of its popular annual art auction. More than 100 important works by California artists will be up for bid in both a silent and live auction. Seasoned collectors and newbies alike will raise their paddles in support of the museum’s mission to collect and preserve statewide art. It’s the chance to score work at a great value, and it’s all for a good cause. Whether you’re a high roller bidding on Peter Alexander’s monoprint LAX XXXII ($32,000 value) or a frugal buyer looking to get your hands on David Ligare’s etching on paper Magna Fide ($350 value), it’s time to get those paddle-raising hands ready.

For his first-ever solo show in the U.S., Japanese artist Kohei Nawa aims to impress. He presents his incredible PixCell series—physical pixelated sculptures made from toys, taxidermied animals, musical instruments, and other everyday objects. The artist encases objects in different-sized glass beads for a multi-lens-like effect. Also on view are new works from his Direction and Ether series that visualize the effects of gravity in a sort of modern, measured Jackson Pollock kind of way. In all his work, Nawa fuses concepts of science and digital culture with themes of mass production to create unique sensory experiences. It’s a show well worth a trip to Palo Alto.

When: Through Sun. 2/25

Where: Pace Palo Alto, 229 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto

Exhibit

Any photography fan is likely familiar with the work of Walker Evans—the man whose images of postwar America showed the visceral effects of the Great Depression. He created such a strong, documentary-style visual of 20th-century America and the banalities of everyday life through images of road signs, storefronts, and auto junkyards. In this SFMOMA retrospective—the only presentation in the U.S.—you’ll find not only some of his most recognizable prints but also many which have never before been exhibited, including nearly 100 documents and objects from the artist’s personal collection. If you haven’t yet seen the show, you have one more week to catch it. Mark your calendars now.

When: Through Sun. 2/4

Where: SFMOMA, 151 Third St., San Francisco

Exhibit

If you marvel over the pristine craftsmanship of Heath Ceramics—as every Californian does—then you must educate yourself in the world of Ruth Rippon. The 90-year-old artist’s work has no doubt influenced many ceramists working today. Known for her experimentation with forms and methods, Rippon’s pieces represent a diversity of styles. This exhibit presents 90 works from the 1950s through the 1990s and showcases her breadth as an artist, working in sgraffito, relief modeling, majolica, porcelain, and sculpture.